HINDUISM AT A GLANCE

By
SWAMI NIRVEDANANDA
Author of Sri Ramakrishna and Spiritual Renaissance

BENGAL
 V.IDYÄMÄNDIAÄ
DHÄKUAIÄ
THIS BOOK IS PRODUCED IN COMPLETE
CONFORMITY WITH THE GOVT. OF INDIA
PAPER CONTROL (ECONOMY) ORDER, 1944

All rights reserved

 Priæ Rs, 4/8

by N. C. DAS, Prabasi Press,

Calcutu and published by S. MANDAL,
Vidyamandira, Dhùuria,
FOREWORD
This generation is loaded with a burden of fate as
was hardly any other in the course of history, In
previous periods of stress we had faith in certain general
conceptions which gave us strength to stand the strain
patiently. We have no such faith today. The increase of
valid knowledge called science is having disturbing
effects on religious traditions also, Only central truths
as distinct from the dogmatic and institutional forms can
appeal to the modern mind which is becoming
increasingly rationalistic in temper and outlook. It is the
author's conviction, which I share, that the essential
principles of Hinduism have nothing to fear from any
advance in scientific knowledge or historic criticism. In
this small book which is directed not to the specialist,
although based on specialised knowledge, but to the
general educated reader, the author gives us a clear and
precise account of the fundamental categories of Hindu
thought. He has the gift of imparting 'information as if
he were acquiring it. To my mind this book is an
excellent introduction to the study of Hindu religion.
S. RADHAXRISHNAN
PREFACE
Hinduism, resting on numerous and varied
scriptural texts and covering a vast number of sectarian
creeds, obviously requires encyclopaedic treatment.
Hinduism at a Glance, however, as the name suggests, is
only a broad outline of the prominent features of this
religion. It presents its essential contents in a nutshell,
and aims at acquainting the busy reader with all that
Hinduism stands for, and that as quickly as possible.
Though intended mainly for Hindu students, the
book seeks to provide the interested public, including
those living outside India, with necessary information on
this aneient religion. The subject has been surveyed from
a catholic standpoint, and the views of different current
schools of Hindu thought have been treated with due
regard. The first part dwells especially on the practical
aspect of Hinduism and the second • part on its ideology.
Certain Sanskrit words like samsara, mukti, bhuta
and jiva are closely associated with the Hindu Religion.
A world of ideas hangs on these words.
They serve almost as so many keys to Hindu thought.
Through them one can enter into the spirit of Hinduism.
But these words have no exact equivalents in English.
This is why they have been used in the original. A clear
grasp of their meaning will, no doubt, usher the reader
into the domain of Hindu thought. Of course, these
words have been explained in detail, often through
distinct chapters, and in every case the nearest
PREFACE

English rendering has been juxtaposed. Moreover, z

glossary of all such words has been appended at the end
of the book.
Sanskrit another foreign words have been italicized,
exception being made for names of persons, sects,
communities, clans, castes, places and subjects of study.
No diacritical marks could, however, be used for helping
the correct pronunciation of Sanskrit words. Only where,
except in the names of persons and places, 'a' has to be
pronounced as in 'part', it has been italicized in words of
Roman character and vice versa.
Sir S. Radhakrishnan has placed the author under
a deep debt of gratitude by furnishing this book with an
appropriate Foreword. Grateful acknowledgement is
made to Swami Madhavananda, the Secretary of the
Ramakrishna Mission, who has very kindly gone
through the manuscripts.
Our labour will be justified if the book serves its
purpose by fulfilling a real need throughout the English
knowing world.
NIRVEDANANDA
Ramakrishna Mission
Students' Home, Calcutta
September 1944
CONTENTS
FOREWORD PREFACE
5
FIRST PART
 I Introduction 13
Il Dharma (What the Hindus mean by
Religion ) 17
111 The Hindu Shastras 23
IV Samsara (Rebirth and Karmavada) 31
V Mukti (Liberation) 37
VI Pravritti Marga (The Path of Desire) 42
Vll Pravritti Marga (continued) 47
Vlll Nivritti Marga (The/ Path of
Renunciation) 53
IX Raja-yoga 58
X Jnana-Yoga 65
Bhakti-Ybga 75
Xll Bhakti-Yoga (continued) 86
Xlll Karma-yoga 95
SECOND PART
The Prophets and Scriptures 113
XV Ishwara (God) 120
XVI Brahmanda (Nature) 128
XVII Brahmanda (coniinued) 135
XVIII Brahmanda (coniinued)
XIX Jiva (Soul) 152
XX Rituals and Mythology 171
XXI The Hindu Outlook on Life 189
GLOSSARY 205
INDEX 225
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
Ait. Up. Aitareya Upanishad.
Bh. Pr. Bhagavata Purana (Shrimad
 Bhagavatam) .
Brahma Sutra.
Brie Up. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.
Chh. Up. Chhandogya Upanishad.
Drg. Drs. Vk. Drig-Drishya Viveka.
Ish. Up. Isha Upanishad.
Ka. Up. Katha Upanishad.
Kai. Up. Kaivalya Upanishad.
Kau, Up. Kaushitaki Upanishad.
Ke. Up. Kena Upanishad.
Matri. Tr. Matrikabheda Tantra.
Mats. Pr. Matsya Purana.
Mnv. Tr. Mahanirvcna Tantra.
Mund. Up. Mundaka Upanishad.
Rg. Vd. Rig-Veda.
Shwet. Up. Shwetashwatara Upanishad.
Sw. Vive's Comp. Wks Swami Vivekananda's Complete
Works. Tait. Up. Taittiriya Upanishad.
Ved. Par. Vedanta Paribhasha.
Ved. Sar. Vedanta Sara. Yoga
Sutra.

FIRST
 1
INTRODUCTION

Hinduism is one of the major religions of the world

Its followers, numbering nearly three hundred millions,
dwell in India and they are known as the Hindus.
India has been the motherland of Hinduism for a
long, long time. How long no one can say with precision.
Some say that it must be twenty thousand years, some
others hold that it cannot be anything more than three
thousand years. However, there is no doubt about the
fact that Hinduism is several thousand years old, and that
it is older than any other major religion of the world.
In very ancient days Hinduism was as the Arya
dharma and its followers the Aryas. Their earliest home
in India was in the Punjab. Nobody has yet been able to
say frially where the Aryas of the Punjab had come from.
Different scholars have made different guesses about the
original home of the Aryas, such as the Arctic region, the
great tableland of Central Asia, the Mediterranean coast,
etc. Swami Vivekananda was firm in his belief that the
Aryas had not come from any place outside India.
However, from the Punjab the Aryas gradually
spread all over Northern India, which tract then came
to be known as Aryavarta. In course of time they
HINDUISM AT A GLANCE

crossed the Vindhya range and spread their religion in

Southern India. An Arya sage, Agastya by name, is said
to have led this march of the Aryas to the South.
One may like to know how the Aryas came to be
called the Hindus. The origin of the name Hindu is
rather funny. The river Sindhu (Indus) marked the
western frontier of the ancient Aryan settlemalt in the
Punjab. On the other side of the river lived the ancient
Iranians (Persians) It was by the name of this river that
the Iranians called the Aryas. But they could not
pronounce the word Sindhu correctly; they would
pronounce it as Hindu. So Hindu came to be the name
by which the Iranians called the Aryas. In course of time
the Aryas themselves pficked up this name from the
Iranians.
The name Hindu also is very, very old. When the
Hindus spread all over India, this entire country came to
be known as Hindusthan.
Hindusthan has been the birthplace of many saints,
many sages, many prophets. Through scores of centuries
it has been prominently a land of religion. Its hills,
mountains, rivers, lakes, seas and cities have been made
holy by the toua of religion. These holy places strewn all
over the country have made Hindusthan really a holy
land. Through the ages myriads of pilgrims have been
rushing to and fro from different corners of Hindusthan
to visit these holy places. And religion has all along been
the mainspring of the life of its people.
It was their religion that gave birth to the glorious
culture of the Hindus. Even in the very ancient days
14